YEARS 7-9

SENIOR SCHOOL

Key Stage 3 (Senior School) CURRICULUM GUIDE 2020-22

Exceptional People Outstanding Opportunities Academic Excellence

Mission Statement

Intus si recte ne labora – if the heart is right, all will be well

Shrewsbury International School offers an inspirational English language education for carefully selected students, caring for them in an organisation committed to continuous improvement, and providing outstanding opportunities both in and out of the classroom. We recruit the finest teachers and staff, providing them with the resources to nurture outstanding students and exemplify the pioneering spirit and traditions of Shrewsbury School. From our Junior School students, enthusiastically developing their interests and passion for learning, to our exemplary Sixth Form leaders graduating to embark on careers at the world’s leading universities, Shrewsbury International School is established around its innovative, ambitious, dynamic international community.

Key Stage 3 Curriculum Guide 2020-22. Mdf: 28 April 2020 10:17 am 08/09/20 8 6 9 11 17 12 13 51 31 31 16 14 19 19 10 57 32 58 55 36 24 56 45

20 ENGLISH AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE ENGLISH AS 25 MATHEMATICS 27 SCIENCE & DESIGN ART 34 COMPUTING DESIGN TECHNOLOGY 38 DRAMA GEOGRAPHY 40 43 HISTORY LANGUAGES MODERN FOREIGN 47 MUSIC THAI STUDIES SENIOR SCHOOL LINES OF COMMUNICATION 2020-2021 CALENDAR ACADEMIC KEY CONTACTS and Key Stages Stages and Key Welcome from the Head of Senior from Welcome Curriculum National the English A Guide to 3 Curriculum Stage of the Key An Overview Timetable A Typical Home Learning Care Pastoral Life for Learning School Activities After House System 3 Timeline Stage Key INFORMATION: CURRICULUM SUBJECTS CORE SUBJECTS OTHER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION INFORMATION: CURRICULUM Contents

Key Stage 3 Curriculum Guide 2020-22. Mdf: 28 April 2020 10:17 am 08/09/20 Welcome from the Head of Senior

Shrewsbury International Senior School is vibrant, exciting and challenging: a place for students to mature into responsible young adults as they learn together in a thriving international environment. Our provision in and out of the classrooms, through lessons, trips, residentials and the “You-Time!” programme, continues to promote the character strengths of respect, imagination, self-awareness, resilience, courage and collaboration:

ƒ To respect the language and culture of Thailand, the school community and the environment. This includes continuing to develop English as the common language of the school community.

ƒ To imagine different possibilities and futures, to think about their choices and how these might determine events and affect others.

ƒ To be aware of their personal strengths and limits and take greater personal responsibility for their learning and well being.

ƒ To respond positively to challenge, with hope and determination.

ƒ To understand that assessing, taking and managing risk is part of a balanced and healthy life

ƒ To do the right thing even when faced with pressure to do otherwise

ƒ To collaborate with others in the school community, listening and leading when needed.

Education for life

There is much that is new, or at least different, about the Senior School. Learning to adapt to change is a key component in this experience and an invaluable lesson for life. It is commonly understood that we are educating students for careers in industries that have yet to be invented. This requires the curriculum to be flexible and to focus on a core set of knowledge that provides a strong foundation for higher order skills such as analysis and evaluation. We wish our students’ thinking to reflect the five aspects of High Quality learning: be informed, be ambitious, engage with the world, personalise the experience, collaborate with others. Our aim is to enable students to think for themselves, to develop the skills and attitudes to be lifelong learners and enrich their lives in school and beyond.

The teaching and learning that takes place in Years 7, 8 and 9 lay the foundations for the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE or IGCSE) courses in Years 10 and 11 and A Levels in Years 12 and 13. Public examination courses may appear to be distant but the skills, work habits and increasing independence and initiative required of Senior School students, established during Year 7 and enhanced thereafter form crucial preparation.

6 Key Stage 3 (Senior School) Curriculum Guide 2020-22 Beyond the classroom

Academic study provides the tools for students to further their education, but an education for life requires far more than classroom learning. Whether in the Art Department, on the stage or in the concert hall, or on the playing field, our very talented Senior students happily balance their academic load with a range of co-curricular activities. The stimulus that these activities provide prepares students for the wider world and university.

Shrewsbury International School works with families to ensure that students have high academic aspirations, achieve success in public examinations and discover interests that will stay with them for life. We continue to be proud to teach our students to learn, to think independently, to challenge and discuss. Our success speaks for itself.

Pastoral support

We recognise the move into Senior School holds mixed emotions for students, whether they are new to our community or have been at Shrewsbury for all, or part, of their Primary education. Even if students are familiar with the sights and sounds of Senior School - the students, the learning environment, some of the teachers and even many of the activities - we understand they will require support to make the transition from Year 6 to Year 7. We aim to provide each child with the care and nurture they require to become an integral part of Senior School.

The support and assistance provided by our network of teachers will cushion the period of transition. The Year 7 Team Leader, together with the carefully selected Year 7 Form Tutors and Wellbeing Team, liaise closely with the Year 6 Team Leader, or with the student’s previous school, to ensure that key information about students is conveyed and understood. For students new to Shrewsbury the team works together to welcome both the student and their parents to the Shrewsbury community.

I hope you will find the information contained within this booklet useful. If however you should have any questions please do contact the admissions team who will direct your question to the person best able to help you.

Intus si recte ne labora: If the heart is right, all will be well.

Robert Millar

Vice Principal, Head of Senior

Key Stage 3 (Senior School) 7 Curriculum Guide 2020-22 A Guide to the English National Curriculum and Key Stages

Shrewsbury International School follows the National Curriculum of England - adapted and developed to meet the needs of our talented, multi-lingual, international student body. If you are not familiar with it, the English Curriculum can be a little confusing and this Guide is designed to help students and parents understand the various Key Stages.

The table below outlines the way in which the school and the curriculum are divided.

Age on Year Curriculum Stage [Examination Course] School [Division] 31 August 3 EY1 Early Years Foundation Stage 4 EY2 Junior School [Pre-Preparatory] 5 Y1 Key Stage 1 6 Y2

7 Y3

8 Y4 Key Stage 2 Junior School [Preparatory] 9 Y5

10 Y6

11 Y7

12 Y8 Key Stage 3

13 Y9 Senior School 14 Y10 Key Stage 4 [IGCSE] 15 Y11

16 Y12 Key Stage 5 [Advanced Level] Senior School [Sixth Form] 17 Y13

In Britain, education is compulsory for all children between the ages of 5 and 18 although clear provision is made for students between the ages of 3 to 5. Children are placed in Year Groups based on their age on 31st August of each academic year. Year Groups are based upon chronological age and progress between Year Groups is usually automatic, although students may be out of their age group for exceptional reasons. Year Groups are clustered into Key Stages and a defined curriculum is produced for each Key Stage. Throughout each Key Stage there are clear assessments to monitor and track each child’s academic progress.

Students study GCSE and IGCSE subjects over the two years of Key Stage 4, from the age of 14. All students study a compulsory core of English, Mathematics and Science plus a number of optional subjects. Students normally take 9 or 10 IGCSE courses. The IGCSE examinations are a formal assessment of a child’s ability in each of the subjects they have studied. Those who wish to go to university will continue into Year 12 and Year 13 (Key Stage 5, also known as Sixth Form), to follow two-year Advanced Level courses. GCSE and IGCSE are internationally recognised academic standards and used, alongside Advanced Levels, as part of the academic selection process for entry into the top universities around the world.

8 Key Stage 3 (Senior School) Curriculum Guide 2020-22 An Overview of the Key Stage 3 Curriculum

All students follow a set, broad and balanced curriculum across Years 7, 8 and 9. The curriculum broadly follows the English National Curriculum but is adapted for our multi-lingual, international context. A core examined programme of English, Mathematics and Science is taught to all students across Key Stages 3 and 4. The core programme also contains non-examined Physical Education and Learning for Life. All subjects are taught by specialist teachers. The majority of lessons are taught in mixed ability Form Groups throughout the key stage.

LESSONS PER 10-DAY CYCLE TEACHING SUBJECT CORE GROUP YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9

English1  Bands 7 7 7 Mathematics  Bands 7 7 7 Science2  Form2 7 7 9 Thai3  Set 5 5 5 Modern Language4 Set 4 4 5 Physical Education  Set 4 4 4 Pastoral Programme5  Form 3 3 3 Art Form 4 4 3 Computing Form 3 3 3 Design Technology Form 4 4 3 Drama Form 3 3 3 Geography Form 3 3 3 History Form 3 3 3 Music Form 3 3 3

Notes:

1. English is taught in two bands according to ability. Each band is then divided into three groups.

2. From Year 9 students start their IGCSE course; they are then taught Biology, Chemistry and Physics by specialist teachers. Students are taught in Form Groups in Years 7 and 8 and then in mixed ability groups in Year 9.

3. Thai nationals study Thai throughout Key Stage 3 and 4. Non-Thai students have a special Thai language programme that is compulsory until the end of Year 9.

4. Students are strongly encouraged to study a Modern Language throughout Key Stage 3 and 4.

5. The Pastoral Programme is compulsory and it comprises Senior School Assembly and Learning for Life lessons.

Key Stage 3 (Senior School) 9 Curriculum Guide 2020-22 A Typical Timetable

At Shrewsbury we work on a 10-day timetable. The day starts with morning registration 7.30 am where students meet up in their Form room with their Form Tutor. There are four lessons in the morning each of 55 minutes. Afternoon registration for seniors is just prior to lunch. There are two more lessons in the afternoon and a short break before the You-Time and Excellence Programmes begin.

A Typical Timetable DAY PERIOD 1 PERIOD 2 PERIOD 3 PERIOD 4 PERIOD 5 PERIOD 6 YOU–TIME

1 PE Art History English Drama Science

2 MFL Computing Science DT English Maths

3 English Science Music Thai Maths PE

4 Geography MFL Maths Art English Science LUNCH 5 Assembly English BREAK Thai Maths Science History REGISTRATION REGISTRATION Learning for 6 Geography Drama Maths PE English Life

7 DT Thai Science Maths Music

8 Computing DT Thai History Music MFL

9 MFL Drama Computing Science English Geography

Learning 10 Art Maths PE Thai for Life

10 Key Stage 3 (Senior School) Curriculum Guide 2020-22 Home Learning

The academic programme at school is supported by carefully chosen home learning assignments. These tasks may come in a variety of forms: extension work that stretches students’ understanding further, preparation for a new topic, structured reading, or revision for an upcoming assessment.

Students are given a timetable that indicates when home learning tasks are set (and to be collected) in each of the subject areas. They are expected to use their Student Diary to record and plan carefully to ensure that all tasks are completed to the best of their ability and to time. In addition, all Home Learning tasks are recorded on the School’s online Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) platform, Firefly.

As a guide, students should expect about 30 (Y7), 35 (Y8) or 40 (Y9) minutes work for up to 3 subjects each evening. As well as these tasks all students should read in English every single day to widen their vocabulary. This means that a Year 7 student should expect to be doing about 90 minutes each school day.

A proper environment is extremely important for learning. Work should be conducted at a desk and without distractions (music, mobile phones etc.). We strongly recommend that students of this age do not have computers in their bedrooms and that all computer access is in a common area at home.

Typical Home Learning Timetable

DAY 1 Art Geography –

DAY 2 Science History –

DAY 3 Maths English Drama

DAY 4 MFL DT –

DAY 5 Science Thai –

DAY 6 English – –

DAY 7 Maths English –

DAY 8 Computing Music –

DAY 9 MFL English –

DAY 10 Thai Science Maths

Key Stage 3 (Senior School) 11 Curriculum Guide 2020-22 Pastoral Care

Each student in the Senior School is placed in a Form Group of up to 24 students. The Form Tutor with whom a student is placed in Year 7 will in many cases remain with them as they move through Senior School to Year 11. The bond that develops between the Form tutor and the student (and even you as parents) is critical and very special. The Form Tutor tracks and monitors achievement and discipline, as well as providing support, direction and advice. The Form Tutor acts as a mentor, encouraging students and providing a range of strategies designed to assist students with personal organisation and study skills.

Students are encouraged to achieve their potential in all aspects of school life. Excellence is rewarded in a number of ways throughout the school year while outstanding achievements in any area of school life are recognised on the Year 7 to Year 9 Celebration Day.

Students are encouraged to recognise their strengths and responsibilities within the school community and mutually develop respect for others and themselves. We recognise the need to develop as a caring and compassionate community, eager to encourage individuality and to embrace cultural diversity. Actions do have consequences and on the rare occasions when students make wrong choices they will be given a chance to reflect on this and make amends.

12 Key Stage 3 (Senior School) Curriculum Guide 2020-22 Learning for Life

Learning for Life is a Programme of Study that is taught twice a cycle to all students in Senior School by two subject specialists. In the UK, this curriculum programme is referred to as Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE).

Learning for Life is a school subject through which pupils develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to keep themselves healthy and safe, and to prepare them for life and work in the modern world.

Our Programme of Study aims to help pupils to develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to manage many of the critical opportunities, challenges and responsibilities they will face as they grow up and in adulthood. A critical component of the Learning for Life programme is providing opportunities for students to reflect on and clarify their own values and attitudes and explore the complex and sometimes conflicting range of values and attitudes they encounter now and in the future.

Learning for Life also contributes to personal development by helping our pupils to build their confidence, resilience and self-esteem, and to identify and manage risk, make informed choices and understand what influences their decisions. It enables them to recognise, accept and shape their identities, to understand and accommodate difference and change, to manage emotions and to communicate constructively in a variety of settings.

Following the guidance of the PSHE Association, yet adapted to our international context, the programme is based around three core themes within which there is a broad overlap and flexibility:

ƒ Core theme 1: Health and Wellbeing

ƒ Core theme 2: Relationships

ƒ Core theme 3: Living in the Wider World.

Key topics areas include Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing, Digital Citizenship, Relationships and Sex Education, Drugs Education and Global Citizenship.

Our Higher Education Team also collaborate with the Learning for Life department on Year 9-11 Pathways/Careers lessons, which aim to maximise higher education applications, guide students to make informed decisions about their futures and develop career identity.

Our Learning for Life Programme of Study also develops student’s spiritual, moral, cultural and social development (SMSC). It aims to build on student’s knowledge and understanding of different world religions, philosophical questions and modern ethical issues through our inclusion of Religious Education. Students have the opportunity to learn about a variety of religious and non-religious beliefs, practices, perspectives and worldviews.

Students will be provided with a term-by-term overview of the Learning for Life Programme of Study at the start of each academic year. A detailed topic-by-topic breakdown of the Programme of Study is also available on Firefly.

Who do I contact for further details?

For more information please contact: Cat Garnett, Head of Learning for Life and Religion, Philosophy and Ethics [email protected] Key Stage 3 (Senior School) 13 Curriculum Guide 2020-22 After School Activities

Shrewsbury’s extensive co-curricular programme is designed to allow students to explore their interests and to develop skills outside of the classroom. These opportunities can help contextualise and to reinforce learning in the classroom, and further develop communication, collaboration and leadership skills. They also help to bring balance to a student’s school experience, serving to enhance their wellbeing and in doing so, benefiting their academic performance. At Shrewsbury we see the co-curriculum as complementary to academic studies and an essential part of daily life.

Shrewsbury’s co-curricular programme is divided into three main streams:

1. YOU-TIME ACTIVITIES: These activities are for students from Year 1 to Year 13. Different activities are offered for different year groups. Access to different types of activities throughout the year allows students to explore different interests and make new friends outside of class. The wide ranging and stimulating programme affords all students an opportunity to explore new interests, develop passions and fulfill potential.

2. ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES: These activities are for students from Year 1 to 13 and are operated by external agencies and providers. These are paid activities and parents will be charged and invoiced for their child’s participation in additional activities during the term.

3. EXCELLENCE PROGRAMME ACTIVITIES: Our Excellence Programmes aim to support students in a range of areas, including Music, Drama and Sport, to help them to pursue excellence and to reach their full potential. Excellence activities usually involve trial, audition or invitation to attend.

The Activities Blocks

There are four consecutive activity blocks that run throughout the academic year, and which reflect the sporting seasons of Bangkok’s International Schools Athletics Conference (BISAC) in which our sporting sides compete.

Each block lasts around 8-10 weeks. Students can choose new activities for each activity block, giving them an opportunity to try new activities on a regular basis. Many activities, such as the school orchestra, choirs or golf team, continue all year round.

14 Key Stage 3 (Senior School) Curriculum Guide 2020-22 Key Stage 3 (Senior School) 15 Curriculum Guide 2020-22 House System

The House system at Shrewsbury International School has been set up to enhance the sense of community within the school. It encourages participation in sporting and cultural activities, as well as promoting leadership development. Students are assigned to one of six Houses when they begin school and stay in the same House until they leave. Each House is named after a Nobel Peace Prize winner, reflecting both the school’s international nature and the organisational value of care and compassion. Students can earn points for their House by participating in the various sporting and cultural competitions that are held throughout the year. Last year, students were able to participate in around 20 House events in the Senior School. These included the ever popular Scene Fest drama event, sporting events such as Cross Country, Sports Day, Swimming Galas, and Cheerleading. We also added some new and exciting events which proved hugely popular and successful including the House Music Competition and House Art. With more involvement from the wider curriculum community the programme is progressing and developing.

16 Key Stage 3 (Senior School) Curriculum Guide 2020-22 Key Stage 3 Timeline

MiDYIS (Middle Years Information System) October Assessments Parent Teacher Conference Term 1

Year 7 December Full Reports Timeline Grade Reports Term 2 March Parent Teacher Conference

Term 3 June Full Reports

October Grade Reports Term 1 December Parent Teacher Conference

Year 8 Grade Reports Timeline Term 2 March Parent Teacher Conference

Term 3 June Full Reports

November Parent Teacher Conference Term 1 December Grade Reports

Year 9 Options presentation for Parents February Parent Teacher Conference

Year 9 Term 2 Timeline March Full Reports

End of Year examinations taken in core subjects Term 3 June Grade Reports

Week without Walls – dates tbc.

Key Stage 3 (Senior School) 17 Curriculum Guide 2020-22 18 Key Stage 3 (Senior School) Curriculum Guide 2020-22 CURRICULUM INFORMATION: CORE SUBJECTS

Key Stage 3 (Senior School) 19 Curriculum Guide 2020-22 ENGLISH

Aims

The learning in Year 7, 8 and 9 focuses on furthering understanding and proficiency in the four key skills of Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening.

In reading, students will develop an appreciation of, and ability to comment on, a range of texts, and evaluate how authors achieve their effects through the use of linguistic, structural and presentational devices. They will learn to select and analyse information and ideas, and comment on how these are conveyed.

In writing, students will write frequently in a variety of styles, developing creativity in the way they select specific features or expressions to convey effects and to interest the reader. They will learn to express ideas clearly and present them coherently, for a range of purposes.

Discussion is one of the most important elements of learning in English. Students will be given a variety of contexts in which to develop their talking and their listening to others, both formally and informally. In order to reflect the learning journey in Year 6, the Year 7 curriculum taught through a series of themes rather than units; Time and Change, Everybody Has a Story, The Big Questions.

20 Key Stage 3 (Senior School) Curriculum Guide 2020-22 Course overview

TERM YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9

Time and Change – The Gothic - writing unit – Novel: The Curious – Novel Study - Coraline, Incident, The Book Thief Witch Child or The or Of Mice and Men Woman in Black – Rhetoric and 1 Propaganda: The poetry of the First World War and conflict poetry

Everybody has a story – Speeches – Creative Media and – Shakespeare’s The product design Tempest or Macbeth – An introduction 2 to iGCSE English Language

The Big Questions – Continuing with – Shakespeare: Romeo Shakespeare - whole and Juliet or Much Ado play study about Nothing and the 3 – Ballads: Poetry from the Sonnets 19th and 20th centuries – Arctic Adventure; non- fiction design

During this transition year and after a short bridging unit, year 7 are taught thematically meaning that pupils will have access to a range of texts over the academic year which are all united through the three themes above

Course outline

Year 7

ƒ The Year 7 curriculum is a wide, thematic -based curriculum that explores a number of questions through texts and genres. It develops skills required for students to succeed at Key Stage Four, whilst developing skills learned in Year 6. The thematic- based curriculum has opportunities for critical thinking tasks: a vital skill required for many subjects.

ƒ The students will look at a range of texts and genres each half term, exploring the links between them. They will also write a range of different texts, developing their writing skills, throughout the academic year.

Key Stage 3 (Senior School) 21 Curriculum Guide 2020-22 ƒ Year 7 will begin with a ‘Bridging Unit’ composed together with the Year 6 team. One half of this short scheme (concentrated around storytelling and fairy tales) will have been covered by the Year 6 teachers and the second half will be covered by the Year 7 English team. This will allow a sense of continuity and allow students to understand transferable skills.

ƒ Students will learn to; use effectively a variety of sentence structures; demonstrate a precise understanding of extended texts; show detailed knowledge of the content of literary texts in the three main forms (drama, poetry and prose) supported by reference to the text; order and convey facts, ideas and opinions effectively; demonstrate a clear sense of audience and context; extract appropriate information for specific purposes.

Year 8

ƒ We introduce students to the conventions of Gothic writing at the start of Year 8, reinforcing analysis of a variety of figurative language, which students are taught to recognise and unpack in the writing of others as well as to create their own examples in their own imitations of the Gothic style.

ƒ The study of a novel will develop and deepen the work on plot, theme and characterisation begun in Year 7. The selection of novels includes: Witch Child by Celia Rees and Coraline by Neil Gaiman, which links well to the Gothic overview covered in Term 1a.

ƒ The next unit, focused on the development of speaking and listening skills is based on language in different contexts and will explore rhetorical language through famous speeches and through debate. Students will produce a persuasive speech after covering a range of topics and ideas.

ƒ The Shakespeare unit in Year 8 will develop students’ ability to provide detailed study of a Shakespearean play as they cover an entire play, furthering their understanding of characterisation, theme, genre, language and structure.

ƒ In poetry, students will study a range of ballads from the 19th and 20th centuries and further their exploration of rhythm, metre and literary devices.

Year 9

ƒ The Year 9 curriculum is firmly based on the IGCSE course and serves to prepare students for an easier transition to study in Year 10.

ƒ The first unit of work is the detailed study of the modern American novel, the choices being either The Pearl or Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck which will help pupils focus on their literature skills of the IGCSE course beginning in Year 10. Students can also study The Curious Incident or The Book Thief instead of the modern American novel. Responses are essay-based.

ƒ The second unit on Propaganda and Poetry of the First World War develops students’ understanding of rhetorical devices and develops their understanding of poetry at a much deeper level. Students will learn to write critically and analytically about poetry, focusing in particular on the poetry of Wilfred Owen.

ƒ The first half of the second term underlines the importance of group work and enhances speaking and listening skills in particular, as well as students’ creativity. Students will cover a range of media skills, creating and designing a product which will be exhibited at a fair stall at the end of the half term, where students have to conduct themselves as a company, promoting their product while explaining its value and unique selling point

ƒ In the second half of the second term students in Year 9 are introduced to non-fiction language which helps embed the IGCSE non-fiction skills, linked closely to the CIE First Language English IGCSE examination. We cover these skills through exposing students to a range of appropriately challenging reading passages. Students will also cover a range of

22 Key Stage 3 (Senior School) Curriculum Guide 2020-22 writing and speaking styles, including: writing/speaking to argue, advise, inform, explain, describe, persuade, and engage.

ƒ In the first half of the third term, we study Romeo and Juliet or Much Ado About Nothing which will further students’ ability to analyse, in detail, a whole Shakespearean play, focusing on theme, character and language. A selection of sonnets will also be studied. Students will write critically and analytically in their responses which are essay-based.

ƒ Finally, pupils work through a short unit on nonfiction writing (Arctic Adventure) where they put all the skills learnt over the course of Year 9 to the test writing about their favourite places and encouraging you to join them.

Assessment

ƒ Reading and writing tasks are assigned twice per cycle.

ƒ Formal assessments for speaking and listening, reading and writing are carried out at the end of each half term. The marks are regularly updated on the level trackers kept in students’ workbooks.

ƒ Students are expected to maintain a frequent wider reading habit which is monitored by their class teacher through their reading record.

Who do I contact for further details?

For more information please contact: Emily Rawes, Head of English [email protected]

Key Stage 3 (Senior School) 23 Curriculum Guide 2020-22 ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

Our Philosophy

At Shrewsbury International School we consider all our students to be English language learners. We understand that language acquisition is an ongoing and integral part of learning across a broad and rich curriculum. This is just as true for children who speak English at home as for those who do not.

As a vibrant international school that welcomes children from all over the world, we acknowledge that our students join us with differing levels of proficiency in English, and that it is the responsibility of every teacher to help students to develop and improve their English language skills.

Teachers plan and deliver lessons to take language acquisition into account regardless of the subject they are teaching. As a community of language learners that recognises that the speaking of English brings our international community together, we place high importance on cooperative learning among students. Children are given ample opportunity to use English through discussion, problem solving and hands-on activities. As well as improving the sense of community, it provides authentic contexts in which to develop language - the kinds of context that we know work best for developing English.

Language at Home

It is important to remember that development in English is supported by development in a child’s mother tongue. Students who are strong in their first language stand a better chance of also being strong in additional languages.

Parents can help their children by talking with them about their day and about what they have learnt at school in their mother tongue. Parents can also be fabulous role models in using English where necessary. This is not to suggest that parents should enforce English at home (quite the opposite in fact) but that when a situation calls for English – such as at school, meeting English- speaking friends, or on holiday in an English-speaking country – parents’ use of English shows their children what a valuable tool speaking English can be.

While maintaining mother tongue is crucial, it can be beneficial to keep up English language during long breaks from school, such as during the summer holidays, by encouraging your children to read English books, interact with other English-speaking children, or join clubs and activities that are run in English.

Who do I contact for further details? For more information please contact: (Until July 2020) James Conduit, Director of EAL [email protected] (From July 2020) Phil Pethybridge, Director of EAL [email protected]

24 Key Stage 3 (Senior School) Curriculum Guide 2020-22 MATHEMATICS

Aims

One of the principal aims of the KS3 Mathematics scheme of work is to ensure better progression and continuity from year to year. The main emphasis is on direct and interactive teaching, well planned and varied, with more opportunity for pupils to participate in the lesson and to become independent learners.

Our main aim is to develop students’ confidence in their own ability, and to encourage them to extend their potential.

Mathematics is divided into four areas: Number; Algebra; Geometry and Measures; Statistics. The curriculum is cyclical, topics are revisited regularly and knowledge and skills continually developed. Number includes calculations, fractions, decimals and percentages. Algebra includes sequences and linear equations. Geometry and Measures contains angles, transformations, areas and volumes of shapes. Statistics involves drawing graphs, charts and finding averages and probabilities.

At each stage, students will study all four areas and we also aim to incorporate some investigation work or project-based activity. Students look for links between these four main areas and also identify ways in which their mathematical skills can be applied across the the whole curriculum.

Key Stage 3 (Senior School) 25 Curriculum Guide 2020-22 Course overview

TERM YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 – Number – Sequences and – Fractions, decimals and – Place value and properties of a number percentages rounding – Fractions – HCF, LCM and surds – Fractions, decimals and – Algebra – Algebra percentages – Straight-line graphs – Straight-line graphs 1 – Negative numbers – Transformations – Limits of Accuracy – Algebra 1 – Ratio and proportion – Sequences – Angles – Real-life graphs – Pythagoras’ Theorem – Averages – Trigonometry – Area and perimeter – Simultaneous Equations – Coordinates and graphs – Speed, distance and – Area and Volume – Sequences and time – Factorising properties of number – Circles – Curves 2 – Handling data – Area and volume – Solving quadratics – Probability – Percentages – Inequalities – Shape – Angle – Ratio and Proportion – Pythagoras Theorem – Algebra 2 – Indices – Ratio and proportion – Symmetry rotation – Bearings – Similarity and 3 – 3D shapes and surface – Data handling congruence area – Enlargement – Real life graphs – Algebra – IGCSE preparation

Assessment At Shrewsbury International School year groups are set/banded according to ability based on tests, class work and teacher assessment. Topics are revisited and extended throughout years 7, 8 and 9 in order to deepen understanding and build upon previous knowledge.

Pupils sit internally marked exams throughout KS3 in order to assess progress and provide opportunities for target setting.

Homework will be set regularly to reinforce and extend the concepts covered in the classroom. Testing will take place in term 1a, 1b, 2b and 3a.

All tests will assess topics covered throughout the whole year but with a focus on the most recent work.

Investigative activities will also occur frequently within the groups to reinforce work covered and to develop problem solving skills and conceptual understanding.

Who do I contact for further details?

For more information please contact: Christopher Redman, Head of Mathematics [email protected]

26 Key Stage 3 (Senior School) Curriculum Guide 2020-22 SCIENCE

Aims

Across Years 7-9 this course aims to:

ƒ Help students become questioning and inquisitive scientists.

ƒ Teach students the basics upon which future scientific understanding can be built.

ƒ Develop students’ collaborative and investigative skills through project-based learning in some areas of the course.

ƒ Give students opportunities for practical work to explore theoretical knowledge and understand the scientific method.

ƒ Introduce students to fundamental topics in each of the three Science specialisms: Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

ƒ In Year 9, students start the IGCSE examination course, giving more flexibility with time and options.

Course overview

In Year 7 and 8 the course is taught in rotating modular blocks so the order will vary from one group to another. The topics covered in each subject are as follows:

Year 7

Term 1 and 2a: Term 2b and 3: – Cells, diffusion and Reproduction (Biology) – Adaptations and Ecology (Biology) – Particles (Chemistry) – Mixtures (Chemistry) – Light and Sound (Physics) – Forces (Physics)

Year 8

Term 1: Term 2: Term 3: – Health and Disease – Chemical Reactions – Electricity and Magnetism – Body Systems – Environmental Science – Heating and Cooling Project

Key Stage 3 (Senior School) 27 Curriculum Guide 2020-22 Year 9 (first year IGCSE)

Term 1: Term 2: Term 3: – Circulation and gaseous – Particulate nature of matter – Quantities and units exchange & respiration – Experimental techniques – Waves – Cells – Atoms, elements and – Energy transfer and – Photosynthesis Compounds Resources – Rates of reaction – Particles

Course outline

Year 7

ƒ Cells, diffusion and reproduction - students learn about the fundamental building blocks of life, as well as human reproduction.

ƒ Adaptations and Ecology - students investigate the environment and how animals are adapted to their habitats.

ƒ Particles - students learn the nature of matter in solids, liquids and gases.

ƒ Mixtures- students learn about the building blocks of matter; atoms, elements and compounds.

ƒ Light and sound- students compare and contrast how these energies move and are perceived.

ƒ Forces - students will learn about different forces and their effects.

Year 8

ƒ Body Systems - students learn about our digestive system as well as looking at the energy in living organisms, where they get it from and what it is used for.

ƒ Health & Disease – Students learn about disease-causing microorganisms and the immune system.

ƒ Chemical Reactions - students investigate a range of different chemical reactions.

ƒ Environmental Science Project – students complete project work on human’s impact on the environment.

ƒ Heating and cooling- students look at the causes of expansion and contraction in a wide range of materials, as well as the processes of conduction, convection and radiation.

ƒ Electricity and magnetism - students learn about components of electrical circuits, how electricity flows and magnetic fields.

Home Learning in Years 7 and 8

Each topic has an associated “Home Learning Grid”. Similar to the topic grids used in the Prep School, these contain a variety of home learning activities that the students can choose from. They are designed to give students an opportunity to think about science beyond the curriculum, to stretch and challenge their thinking and to engage with current scientific research. The tasks also provide opportunities to be creative or to complete literacy and numeracy-based tasks. Teachers will also set occasional home learning as a follow-up to specific lessons.

28 Key Stage 3 (Senior School) Curriculum Guide 2020-22 Year 9

ƒ Students start their IGCSE examination course in Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

ƒ They are taught in mixed ability groups studying common topics in IGCSE before being separated into Co-ordinated Science or Separate Science courses in Year 10.

Assessment

A variety of assessment methods will be used that will allow students to understand what they need to do to improve and they will be given time to make these improvements. This will include verbal feedback from the teacher, self and peer assessment and, at certain points during the course, written feedback on key pieces of work.

In Year 9, classes continue to be mixed ability but slightly smaller and students are taught by subject specialists . Year 9 students will also take two to three class tests per year for each Science subject, allowing them to practise answering IGCSE-level questions under examination conditions.

Who do I contact for further details?

For more information please contact: Laura Garcia, Director of Science [email protected]

Key Stage 3 (Senior School) 29 Curriculum Guide 2020-22 30 Key Stage 3 (Senior School) Curriculum Guide 2020-22 CURRICULUM INFORMATION: OTHER SUBJECTS

Key Stage 3 (Senior School) 31 Curriculum Guide 2020-22 ART & DESIGN

Aims

We aim to develop the creative thinking and making skills of individual students through a series of practical projects. There is a focus on encouraging personal interpretation and expression within a cultural framework through making references to modern and contemporary art practice from around the world.

Students are introduced to the formal elements of art through a series of structured projects, which lead to a larger piece or final project in Term 3. Drawing is central to this scheme as well as the creation of sketchbooks. The project themes vary from year to year with there being a different focus in each year group. There is an educational visit in Year 8 that is linked to the theme, which helps to deepen our students’ knowledge and understanding.

Course overview

Year 7 Portraiture

This project focuses on developing drawing and visualising skills in different media based on the elements of Art. There will be a focus in each term on different aspects of making images, including tonal drawing, colour work, digital work, collage and clay work.

Students learn to research information about important artists whose work relates to the theme. This information is integral to the learning of making art through exploring different materials and processes. Students create visual layouts in sketchbooks and develop their graphic skills. The focus of skills development in Year 7 lays a good foundation for progression into Year 8 and 9.

Year 8 Adornment

The main focus of this project is studying colour, pattern and symbolism within different cultural contexts. Students are given the opportunity to learn new techniques in painting, drawing, printmaking, composition, clay modelling, digital imaging and the exploration of different media/ materials in more depth. Students will build on prior learning, which was developed in Year 7 and work through a series of projects based on different aspects of the theme ‘Adornment’. Students are able to interpret the theme and are encouraged to work independently and create personal work. Sketchbook work is central to this project, as well as a broader introduction to arts and crafts from different cultures.

Year 9 Surrealism

Year 9 students are given the opportunity to hone their art skills further in preparation for IGCSE. Emphasis is placed on individual responses based on a theme ‘Surrealism’. Idea generation and the exploration of expressive media will be central to the learning process. Investigating the work of well-known artists is a strong feature, which will underpin practical work. Students will visit galleries and develop critical and analytical skills. Independent work is encouraged through working in sketchbooks.

32 Key Stage 3 (Senior School) Curriculum Guide 2020-22 Assessment

The assessment of work is continuous; sketchbooks are reviewed regularly. Assessment in Art is linked to the assessment objectives of the IGCSE model and the system of levelling related to the English National Curriculum.

Who do I contact for further details?

For more information please contact: Valerie McCubbin, Head of Art [email protected]

Key Stage 3 (Senior School) 33 Curriculum Guide 2020-22 COMPUTING

Aims

A high-quality computing education equips pupils to understand and change the world through computational thinking. It develops and requires logical thinking and precision. It combines creativity with rigour: pupils apply underlying principles to understand real-world systems, and to create purposeful and usable solutions.

In Computing pupils are taught how digital systems work, how they are designed and programmed, and the fundamental principles of information and computation. A computing education also ensures that pupils become digitally literate – able to use, and express themselves through, information and communication technology – at a level suitable for the future workplace and as active participants in a digital world.

By the end of the Key Stage 3 course, we aim to ensure that all students:

ƒ can understand and apply the fundamental principles of computer science, including logic, algorithms, data representation, and communication

ƒ can analyse problems in computational terms, and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems

ƒ can evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems

Course outline

This subject provides a general introduction to business behaviour and organisation in a real world context. Our aim is to provide you with an insight into business decision making by applying business theory to a wide selection of case study material drawn from many countries. The course includes modules in marketing, production, business organisation and communication, finance and accounting, and the place of business in the local, national and global community.

You will develop skills in numeracy, report writing, analysis and problem solving, ICT applications, debate, discussion, research methods and teamwork. We encourage you to take a consistent interest in local and global business events and provide opportunities for you to undertake individual research. Wherever possible, outside visits will be arranged to locally based businesses.

Year 7: Students will complete the following units:

ƒ Micro:Bit Hardware Programming and control systems

ƒ Mobile Application Development with Thunkable

ƒ Using Spreadsheets

ƒ The foundations of Computing

ƒ Introduction to Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence

34 Key Stage 3 (Senior School) Curriculum Guide 2020-22 Year 8: Students will complete the following units

ƒ Taking the Micro:Bit Further

ƒ Back to the Future: A historical investigation of Computer Science

ƒ Computer Crime and Cyber Security

ƒ Programming Selection and Iteration using Python

ƒ Further Machine Learning and AI

ƒ HTML: Coding Web-pages

Year 9:

ƒ Robotics: LEGO Mindstorms (Carousel once every half term)

ƒ Computer networks

ƒ Programming with Arrays and algorithm design

ƒ Understanding Computers and Binary Language

ƒ Introduction to relational database design

At the beginning of Key Stage 3, all students are registered for the iDEA (inspiring digital enterprise) Award www.idea.org.uk. Students are encouraged to complete the activities for this award in their own time and they can work towards achieving a Bronze then Silver award which they receive from the UK. This award is recognised by educational institutes and employers as a modern, technical award.

Assessment

A variety of assessment methods will be used that will allow students to understand what they need to do to improve. This will include verbal feedback from the teacher, self and peer assessment as well as online testing with immediate feedback of work.

Who do I contact for further details?

For more information please contact David Lynn, Head of Computing [email protected]

Key Stage 3 (Senior School) 35 Curriculum Guide 2020-22 DESIGN TECHNOLOGY

Design Technology encourages students to be practical problem solvers, using design, IT and new technologies as a way of fulfilling needs, reducing waste and tackling problems. Following on from the solid grounding that they have received in this philosophy in the school’s Junior Innovation Centre, students are asked to tackle an increasingly complex sets of design tasks utilising a range of machines, software, tools and materials.

Aims

ƒ Help students develop a practical understanding of design, and the ‘design process’.

ƒ Help students develop both their creative and their problem solving skills through the tackling of long term projects.

ƒ Help students develop their practical skills, and their knowledge of materials, processes, software applications, and equipment through the realisation of their project work.

Course overview

YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 – The Mondrian Tangram – Boom Box – Alessi is More – The Onager Project – Batch Production – Bauhaus meets Memphis – Innovation technology – Innovation technology

Year 7

The Mondrian Tangram – students will be introduced to the concept of a ‘design movement’ before designing and making their own acrylic tangram, influenced by the De Stijl design school and the art work of Piet Mondrian.

The Onager Project - Following the use of the department’s 3D CAD software to assemble a ‘virtual onager’, students are asked to design, make and test a scale model of this Roman catapult.

Innovation Technology - Students will be using specialist software and hardware to develop control programmes that are then used in a variety of mechanical and electronic systems. In the first instance the students shall be designing and building their own ‘Micropet’ based on the use of the BBC Microbit.

Year 8

Boom Box – Students construct an electronic amplifier and speaker circuit, before using CAD software to design and make a card housing, complete with suitably genre-inspired graphics, and an acrylic speaker guard.

Batch Production – working in teams of 5 or 6, students will manufacture a set of mechanical toys (automata), using batch production methodology.

36 Key Stage 3 (Senior School) Curriculum Guide 2020-22 Innovation Technology - Students will be asked to design and edit key parts of a product, that will only work if all of the various parts, when finally cut and printed, fit together to create a complex working system. The product will be controlled using the BBC Microbit, which will allow various different inputs and outputs to be trialled and tested.

Year 9

Alessi is More - taking the Post-Modern design philosophy of the Alessi Group as a starting point, Students will design and manufacture a children’s toothbrush holder. This project will employ a range of mathematically accurate CAD skills, alongside the production of more organic anthropomorphic shapes.

Bauhaus meets Memphis – students will research both the Memphis and the Bauhaus design movements, before using anthropometric data and ergonomic know-how to help them create a 1:5 scale model chair in a combination of those styles, using chrome-plated mild steel, laser cut leatherette, and any other appropriate material the student may choose.

Assessment

Throughout the course students will be assessed and receive feedback in a variety of ways (although the successful completion of products is one of the clearest measures of success):

Written and verbal comments about their development as creative thinkers, problem solvers and ‘designers’.

Formal assessments in the form of project criteria levels, homework and formal presentations.

The successful completion of project portfolios and accompanying practical work, within the time frame allowed.

Who do I contact for further details?

For more information please contact: Mark Holloway, Director of Design Technology [email protected]

Key Stage 3 (Senior School) 37 Curriculum Guide 2020-22 DRAMA

Aims

“Like theatre, drama in schools can unlock the use of imagination, intellect, empathy and courage. Through it, ideas, responses and feelings can be expressed and communicated. It carries the potential to challenge, to question and to bring about change.”

Jude Kelly (Theatre Director)

As well as teaching our students about a range of theatre genres, performance styles and techniques through the exploration of different play texts and the devising of original work, Drama at Key Stage 3 gives all students experience of major cultural arts forms, helps to develop social and empathy skills, their moral and spiritual development, and fosters the ability to work collaboratively towards a common goal.

Drama also aids students in becoming more confident presenting ideas or characters to a class/ audience which will benefit them not only in Drama but in other subjects and areas.

It also encourages students to become more proficient with self-evaluation and be able to recognise success and areas for development, and to know how to do this.

Course overview

TERM YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 – Matilda by Roald – Time Travel – Melodrama Dahl – a character – Slapstick – Commedia Dell’Arte 1 exploration. – Pantomime – Theatre Around the – Warhorse – Curious Incident of the 2 World – Didactic Theatre Dog in the Nighttime

– A Midsummer Night’s – Macbeth – Ruckus in the Garden 3 Dream by David Farr . – Pyramus and Thisbe

Course outline

Year 7

Pupils develop their characterisation and performance skills as they explore the characters and story of Roald Dahl’s Matilda. They learn different techniques and are encouraged to use subject specific vocabulary when evaluating their work and others. New styles and skills are explored through a range of texts and stimuli including Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and by being introduced to theatre traditions such as Pantomime, Chinese and African theatre and French mime.

38 Key Stage 3 (Senior School) Curriculum Guide 2020-22 Year 8

We will build on skills and techniques as we explore new performance styles from theatre traditions including slapstick and physical theatre. The skills and techniques they will discover within this include forum theatre, newspaper theatre, monologues, vocal collage, and tableau. We will explore a variety of genres, a Shakespearean play and cross-curricular texts.

Year 9

Year 9 prepares students for the requirements of GCSE Drama and challenges our learners to take more risks. They will combine their knowledge and understanding of a range of styles, genres and practitioners as they create original work. The students will participate in detailed text based exploration of the modern text ‘Ruckus in the Garden’. Additionally, we will focus on live theatre reviews through the challenging ‘Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time’ scheme of work.

Assessment

Our assessment policy at Key Stage 3 acknowledges the need for pupils to understand the level at which they are working in order to make future progress. Pupils are made aware of the level at which they are working upon completion of each scheme of work and are provided with verbal and written teacher comments of how to improve their level and make progress in Drama.

All KS3 pupils are assessed using the department’s devised criteria for Creating, Performing and Evaluating. Every scheme uses the assessment levels to challenge students and build on prior learning. Additionally, the assessment levels are a visual part of the wall space within each Drama studio so that students can monitor their progress and set their own targets. Teachers provide formative and summative assessment throughout the schemes using workbooks. The assessment levels are also used within the scheme workbooks, which will guide the students’ development throughout Drama at key stage three.

Students are encouraged to take responsibility for their learning and achievement, and acknowledge and work on the targets set by the teacher.

Who do I contact for further details?

For more information please contact

Kay Sanders, Head of Drama [email protected]

Key Stage 3 (Senior School) 39 Curriculum Guide 2020-22 GEOGRAPHY

Aims

The study of Geography stimulates an interest in and a sense of wonder about places and aims to help them understand how the natural and human world around them was formed and how it works.

Geography helps young people make sense of a complex and dynamically changing world; it explains where places are, how places and landscapes are formed, how people and their environment interact, and how a diverse range of economies, societies and environments are interconnected.

It builds on students’ own experiences to investigate places at all scales, from the personal to the global.

Course overview

TERM YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 – What is Geography? – Asia – Tourism /My school – Violent Earth – Development 1 environment – The Poles – Map Skills – Global Challenges – Coasts 2 – Biomes – Weather – Energy

3 – Places – Africa – Skills for IGCSE

Course outline

Year 7

ƒ What is Geography? / My school environment - students are introduced to the main areas of Geography: Physical, Human, Environmental. The effects of people on the environment. This topic is completed with a group-work investigation around school: which part of Shrewsbury International School has the highest environmental quality?

ƒ The Poles – students are taught how to identify the location of places using latitude and longitude. We compare the Poles, particularly the contrasting climates. Adaptations of polar animals are researched and an investigation into how people living in polar regions survive.

ƒ Map Skills – Locating points on a map using grid references, measuring straight and curved distances and interpreting heights and contours.

40 Key Stage 3 (Senior School) Curriculum Guide 2020-22 ƒ Biomes - What is a biome: biotic & abiotic factors; My chosen biome; The climate of rainforests and deserts – climate graphs; The structure of rainforests; The value of rainforests; Amazonian tribes; Comparing lives – tribal life versus Bangkok life; Causes and effects of deforestation.

ƒ Places - Reasons for settlement locations; land use models – Bangkok investigations; Importance of Bangkok; Bangkok tourism; Round the world tour.

Year 8

ƒ Asia - Physical and political characteristics - including ASEAN; Development indicators; Incredible India – physical and human geography; China’s population.

ƒ Violent Earth - Structure of the earth; Convection currents & plates; Evidence for continental drift & the Pangaea puzzle; Plate boundaries; Structure of a volcano and volcano types; Living near volcanoes – benefits; earthquakes – causes & impacts.

ƒ Global challenges -The importance of oceans; Impacts of marine pollution; The Great Pacific Garbage Patch; The greenhouse effect & global warming; The impacts of climate change.

ƒ Weather - What is weather and climate? Measuring the weather; What is microclimate? A micro climate study of the school.

ƒ Africa - Political & Physical Geography; Perceptions of Africa; Africa’s varying levels of development; Africa’s population; Diversity in the lives of African people; An African country project.

Key Stage 3 (Senior School) 41 Curriculum Guide 2020-22 Year 9

ƒ Tourism - The growth of tourism; The benefits and disadvantages of tourism; An area where tourism is important – the impacts and management.

ƒ Development - Indicators to assess development; Classifying production into different sectors; Globalisation and its impacts; A transnational corporation and its global links.

ƒ Coasts - Eroding, transporting and depositing; Characteristics of coral reefs and mangrove swamps; How coasts present hazards and offer opportunities manage the impacts of coastal erosion.

ƒ Energy - Non-renewable and renewable energy supplies; The benefits and disadvantages of nuclear power and renewable energy sources; Energy supply in Iceland.

ƒ Skills for IGCSE – Term 3 is largely devoted to the building up of essential geographical skills in preparation for IGCSE. Basic map-reading skills are revisited and reinforced, as well as learning.

Assessment

Assessment takes a number of forms:

ƒ Enquiry-based fieldwork, based on data collected around the school.

ƒ A research project on a particular theme.

ƒ An end of topic written test.

ƒ Oral and multimedia presentations

Who do I contact for further details?

For more information please contact

David Webb, Head of Geography [email protected]

42 Key Stage 3 (Senior School) Curriculum Guide 2020-22 HISTORY

Aims

History aims to give students the opportunity to study our collective past as we investigate the dilemmas, choices and beliefs of past peoples. As students develop their understanding of the nature of historical study, they learn to ask and answer important questions, evaluate evidence, identify and analyse different interpretations of the past. Students also learn to substantiate arguments and the judgements they make. We aim to ensure they appreciate why they are learning as well as what they learn.

History also seeks to prepare students for the future, equipping them with knowledge and skills that are prized in adult life, enhancing employability and developing an ability to take part in a democratic society. We aim to encourage mutual understanding of the historic origins of our ethnic and cultural diversity, and help pupils become confident and questioning individuals.

The language of History presents considerable challenges to EAL learners as they develop the more formal academic register of the classroom. The History department is committed to the teaching of English in the mainstream classroom and providing EAL support to all students

TERM YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 – Key History skills – Slavery in the – First World War 1 Americas

– Roman Empire – Civil Rights in the USA – The World Between 2 the Wars

– Ancient Civilisations – Democracies and – The Second World 3 Dictatorships War and Bombing of Hiroshima

Course outline

Year 7

ƒ Key History Skills. The purpose of this topic is to introduce, strengthen, and review the skills that students will need throughout KS3 and beyond. This unit is designed to help students settle into their new surroundings and develop their confidence, through the use of relatively familiar terminology and ideas from their studies in Primary School.

ƒ The Roman Empire. Students will consider; why was Julius Caesar murdered and why did the Romans go to the Games? Much of our work will ask students’ to assess how their own interests, beliefs and priorities are reflected in their actions, and in their home of Bangkok.

ƒ Ancient Civilisations. Students will be given the opportunity to compare and contrast ancient civilisations and empires from across the globe. They will work collaboratively to reach judgements on the greatest achievements of past societies.

Key Stage 3 (Senior School) 43 Curriculum Guide 2020-22 Year 8

ƒ Slavery in the Americas. Students will consider Human Rights today before considering how and why the slave trade developed. Students will also consider how the trade impacted upon the people of West Africa and the Americas.

ƒ The fight for Civil Rights in the USA, 1945-1968. Students will consider the forms of discrimination experienced by African Americans in the immediate post war period before investigating the significance of events and individuals as they fought for equality.

ƒ Democracies and Dictatorships. Students will be asked to consider how political ideologies have developed and why these different interpretations exist today.

Year 9

ƒ The First World War. Students will be asked to consider questions such as: what caused the War? Why did the Schlieffen plan fail? Was Haig really the ‘Butcher of the Somme’?

ƒ The World between the Wars. Students will consider the most significant cause of the Russian Revolution? Students will also carry out an enquiry to decide what was the ‘Roar’ in the Roaring ‘20s?

ƒ The Second World War and the Atomic bombing of Hiroshima in August 1945. Students will be asked to debate whether or not the bombing was justified within the context of the events of the Second World War?

Assessment

The assessment of student’s work will be formative throughout the year. Summative assessment will take the form of projects, essays and speaking tasks that will assess our students’ History knowledge, skills and understanding. Assessed projects will be overseen and taught during timetabled lessons and supported by homework.

Who do I contact for further details?

For more information please contact

Stuart Howard, Head of History [email protected]

44 Key Stage 3 (Senior School) Curriculum Guide 2020-22 MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES

Aims

Languages are part of the cultural richness of all societies and the world in which we live and work. Learning languages contributes to mutual understanding, a sense of global citizenship and personal fulfillment. The ability to communicate in another language is a lifelong skill through which students will learn to appreciate different countries, cultures, communities and people.

Through learning a foreign language students will benefit from opportunities to develop their listening, speaking, reading and writing skills, and to express themselves with increasing confidence. They will develop communication skills and will explore the structure of language which will lay the foundations for future study of other languages. This will also support the development of literacy skills in the students’ own language.

Course overview

ƒ Students will study one language throughout Years 7, 8 and 9 building upon the work already covered in the Junior School.

ƒ In some cases students will begin the GCSE curriculum in Year 9 in order to prepare them for the rigours of the new GCSE course

Course outline

The new topics being studied for each language are listed below. Homework will be set twice in the 10-Day Cycle and should take 30 minutes in Years 7 & 8 and 35-45 minutes in Year 9.

Mandarin

ƒ Year 7: Describing people; food and drink; birthday; time; daily routine

ƒ Year 8: House plan; clothes; shopping; making phone calls; eating at restaurant

ƒ Year 9: School life; directions; leisure life; travelling; birthday parties

French

ƒ Year 7: Hobbies and free time activities; weather; clothes and shopping; town and local area.

ƒ Year 8: Countries and travel; self, friends and family relationships; jobs and the world of work

ƒ Year 9: Start of GCSE: Theme 1 including describing self and family; describing leisure time and technology; learning about festivals and celebrations

Spanish

ƒ Year 7: Food and drink; making plans with friends; learning about Spain through the topic of holidays

Key Stage 3 (Senior School) 45 Curriculum Guide 2020-22 ƒ Year 8: What I do in my free time; describing the world of work and career aspirations; healthy lifestyles and daily routine; learning about Madrid through the topic of cities.

ƒ Year 9: Step up to GCSE: local area, holiday & travel; life at school; friends; relationships and free time.

Japanese

ƒ Year 7: Talking about myself and my family. Daily and weekly routine, weekend and holiday activities.

ƒ Year 8: Describing school life, annual events, photos; introduction of Kanji letters.

ƒ Year 9: Invitations; Kanji letters; at the Doctor’s surgery; talking about one’s knowledge, ability and preferences; weather.

Assessment

Students will be assessed at regular intervals across the four language skills in a variety of ways e.g. vocabulary tests, reading and listening tests, end of unit tests. These assessments will be coordinated around the topics being studied.

Who do I contact for further details?

For more information please contact: Anna Pethybridge, Head of Modern Foreign Languages [email protected]

46 Key Stage 3 (Senior School) Curriculum Guide 2020-22 MUSIC

Aims

Students are introduced to a range of musical instruments and learn to play these with increasing expertise covering a range of styles and genres. They sing and make music with others, developing performance and ensemble skills, becoming increasingly confident in front of an audience. They learn how to create, arrange and compose their own music, including the use of music technology to produce music using computers and iPads.

Course overview

TERM YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 – Just Play – Rhythm Skills – Step up to IGCSE 1 – Pachelbel’s Canon

– Find Your Voice – The Blues – Songwriting 2 – Making Music

– Showcase – Digital Music – Making Music 3 – The Gig (continued) – Rock on the River

Course outline

Year 7

ƒ Just Play - Students learn to play chords on the keyboard and guitar developing increasing expertise on both instruments. They also develop an understanding of chord sequences and composition structure.

ƒ Find Your Voice - Following on from Just Play, students explore melody and harmony in detail then in groups create musical arrangements using their voice and a variety of instruments.

ƒ Showcase - In term three students work towards a performance showcase, some will perform live, but all will produce a video recording of their group and/or solo performance.

Key Stage 3 (Senior School) 47 Curriculum Guide 2020-22 Year 8

ƒ Rhythm Skills - Focusing on ostinato, polyrhythm and syncopation, students work towards creating and performing music for percussion instruments.

ƒ Pachelbel’s Canon - Following traditional staff notation, students perform Pachelbel’s Canon as a class and in smaller groups, creating their own arrangements and also composing new melodies over a ground bass using music technology.

ƒ The Blues - Linking with slavery in their History lessons students study the origins of Blues and Jazz, developing improvisation and composition skills and exploring extended chords.y.

ƒ Digital Music - Students will learn how to produce and compose a range of electronic musical genres from Minimalism to Electronic Dance Music.

ƒ The Gig - Students work towards organising their own live performances in a low stakes context - Embracing failure as a learning tool.

Year 9

ƒ Step up to GCSE - students practically explore and analyse a GCSE setwork, before creating their own arrangement and then composition inspired by the setwork.

ƒ Songwriting - Students first learn how to write lyrics and melodies to a chord sequence and then compose their own songs, developing an understanding of typical song structure.

ƒ Making Music - Students develop their composition skills further by making music in a style of their choosing either independently or in small groups.

ƒ Rock on the river - Students showcase their musical expertise by organising their own lunchtime concert. The music performed is chosen and introduced by the students. Many performances will be of original music composed by the students.

Assessment

Formative assessment in the form of verbal feedback takes place continuously each lesson. In addition to this student performances are regularly recorded enabling students to review their performance to understand what is needed for further improvement. Task specific criteria are introduced at the start of each unit and referred to regularly. End of unit assessments usually take the form of performances with students receiving peer and teacher feedback using the task specific criteria.

Who do I contact for further details?

For more information please contact: Stephen Jackman, Head of Academic Music [email protected]

48 Key Stage 3 (Senior School) Curriculum Guide 2020-22 PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Aims

A high-quality physical education curriculum inspires all pupils to succeed and excel in competitive sport and other physically-demanding activities. Physical Education in Key Stage 3 provide opportunities for pupils to become physically confident in a way which supports their health and fitness. Opportunities to compete in sport and other activities build character and help to embed values such as fairness, leadership and respect.

Subject content

Pupils should build on and embed the physical development and skills learned in key stages 1 and 2, become more competent, confident and expert in their techniques, and apply them across different sports and physical activities. They should understand what makes a performance effective and how to apply these principles to their own and others’ work. They should develop their self-confidence and interest to get involved in exercise, sports and physical activity out of school and in later life, and understand and apply the long-term health benefits of physical activity.

Pupils are taught to: ƒ use a range of tactics and strategies to overcome opponents in direct competition through team and individual games [for example, badminton, basketball, football, netball, and rugby].

ƒ develop their technique and improve their performance in other competitive sports [for example, athletics and swimming].

ƒ take part in physical activities which present intellectual and physical challenges and be encouraged to work in a team, building on trust and developing skills to solve problems, either individually or as a group.

ƒ analyse their own fitness levels and through a strength and conditioning programme aim to improve both general and specific areas of fitness relevant to a sporting activity.

ƒ analyse their performances compared to previous ones and demonstrate improvement and progression over time.

ƒ take part in competitive sports and activities outside school through the You-Time or the Sports Excellence programme.

Key Stage 3 (Senior School) 49 Curriculum Guide 2020-22 Course outline

Example of a typical Physical Education timetable:

Block 1 Block 2 Block 3 Block 4

– Invasion Games – Health Related Exercise – Net/Wall – Striking and Games Fielding Activities

Swimming/water activities taught throughout the year (1 lesson per 10 day cycle).

Assessment

Throughout the course students will be assessed and receive feedback in a variety of ways:

ƒ Verbal comments about their learning in the classroom

ƒ Verbal analysis on their strengths and weaknesses and the ability to analyse others

ƒ End of module level descriptor assessments.

Who do I contact for further details?

For more information please contact: Ian Radcliffe, Head of Physical Education [email protected]

50 Key Stage 3 (Senior School) Curriculum Guide 2020-22 THAI STUDIES

Aims

Through Thai Studies, students construct an understanding and appreciation of their community, their identities as a Thai citizen or resident of Thailand and to develop their diverse cultural awareness while maintaining cultural heritage as being the global citizen.

Students are also encouraged to read widely, for their own enjoyment and to develop an appreciation of how writers achieve their effects. The curriculum also complements other areas of study by encouraging skills of more general application.

For Thai students

ƒ Develop the use of language in listening, speaking, reading and writing.

ƒ Read Thai literature, short stories, poetry, proverbs and folktales for understanding and enjoyment.

ƒ Writing techniques: imaginative, descriptive, journals and narrative writing, communicating ideas and feelings, applying experiences in writing.

ƒ Promote analytical and reflective thinking.

ƒ Acquire knowledge using a range of resources. Select and present in different forms of verbal presentation or written works.

ƒ Moral and emotional development.

ƒ Acknowledge and take pride in Thai culture and Thai identity.

For Non-Thai students

ƒ The focus is on everyday use of Thai across the four disciplines of listening, speaking, reading and writing.

ƒ Understand and respond to daily language appropriately.

ƒ Develop ability to read and write in Thai.

ƒ Express appreciation and show respect for Thai culture, including way of life, festivals and celebrations.

ƒ Share and exchange learner’s cultures, festivals and celebrations.

ƒ Understand the role of the monarchy in Thai history.

Key Stage 3 (Senior School) 51 Curriculum Guide 2020-22 Course overview

Year 7

Thai Students ƒ Students learn about parts of speech, tone mark usage, Thai idioms, and Royal words. They learn and practice writing in different genres including writing communications, composition, synopses, stories in various forms, descriptive, argumentative, summary and journal. In addition, students study and appreciate Thai values through various Thai folktales and Thai literature. They also study projects instigated by King Rama 9 and his biography. External reading is assigned.

ƒ Students study the topic of “Caring and Sharing” in society and learn about the history and culture of special days such as Loy Krathong Day, the King’s Birthday and Songkran.

Non-Thai Students ƒ The Year 7 Curriculum for Non-Thai students will cover 5 main topics-Sickness, Daily Routine in Residential Trip at Kao Yai, Thai fruits , Money and Negotiation and Place and Direction. Apart from these major topics, Thai Cultures such as Loy Kathong and Songkran Festival are also included in the lessons to develop the understanding of Thai culture and society.

ƒ During Thai lessons, students will have an opportunity to apply the knowledge to use in four skills regularly – Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing.

Year 8

Thai Students ƒ Students study documentary, non-fiction articles about the sufficiency economy. They also study Thai literature that allows them to explore both Thai language and culture through stories. From those texts, students learn to summarise main ideas and present them in various projects and using their own words, using a range of appropriate vocabulary.

ƒ Students develop their knowledge and application of Thai grammar, learning about levels of language, written and spoken language, methods of word creation, Thai proverbs and Thai sentence structure.

ƒ For creative writing, students write a narrative and descriptive essays. They learn how to use tone, style and apply them appropriately for different audiences and contexts. In addition, students will appreciate Thai history and culture through the activities. External reading will be assigned.

Non-Thai Students ƒ The Year 8 Curriculum for Non-Thai students will cover 6 main topics-Activities in school, Day and Time of the day, Daily routine in residential Trip (Rayong), Thai Food and Dessert. Cooking Thai Food, Restaurant, Thai Cultures such as Loy Krathong, Songkran Festival and Wai Kru Ceremony are also included in the lessons to develop the understanding of Thai culture and society.

ƒ During Thai lessons, students will have an opportunity to apply the knowledge to use in four skills regularly – Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing.

52 Key Stage 3 (Senior School) Curriculum Guide 2020-22 Year 9

Thai Students ƒ Students analyse Thai literature, Silajareuk of King Ramkanghaeng, the poetry of King Rama 5, the famous writers, the speech of King Rama 9 and Ramayana. From the texts, students will embed Thai culture and manners. Grammatical skills will be developed as students learn rules of creating Thai words, royal words, Thai proverbs, the principle of writing essays, how to write formal and informal letters and poetry.

ƒ Students also focus on different styles of writing including short stories and note taking. They create their own short stories and present them to the class. Students learn how to express thoughts, feelings and opinions in order to interest, inform or convince. Students will explore speaking styles for different contexts. Class presentations take place across topics. External reading is assigned.

Non-Thai Students ƒ The Year 9 Curriculum for Non-Thai students will cover 6 main topics-Shopping, Transportation, Daily routine in residential Trip (Chiang Mai), Travel around Thailand. Time and Make an appointment, Sign, Thai Cultures such as Loy Krathong, Songkran Festival and Wai Kru Ceremony are also included in the lessons to develop the understanding of Thai culture and society.

ƒ During Thai lessons, students will have an opportunity to apply the knowledge to use in four skills regularly – Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing.

Assessment

Throughout the school year, students will be assessed at regular intervals across the four language skills and receive feedback in a variety of ways, including both teacher and peer feedback.

Formal assessments will take the form of end-of-unit tests, project criteria levels, homework and assessment of formal presentations.

Who do I contact for further details?

For more information please contact: Peeranuch Kitcharoen (Kru Thom), Head of Thai Studies [email protected] Supaporn Kitsanayothin (Kru Fon), Head of Thai Studies (Senior) [email protected]

Key Stage 3 (Senior School) 53 Curriculum Guide 2020-22 54 Key Stage 3 (Senior School) Curriculum Guide 2020-22 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Key Stage 3 (Senior School) 55 Curriculum Guide 2020-22 SENIOR SCHOOL LINES OF COMMUNICATION

Whenever you have a concern or need clarification over information regarding your child, these lines of communication have been designed to provide the support you need. You are advised to use the Student Diary which is an important channel for successful communication.

When serious concerns are identified, contact with the Vice Principal or Principal may be made directly or will be referred by the YTL

PRINCIPAL Your child’s Form Tutor is the first point of contact on all day to day ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL (ACADEMIC) pastoral and general VICE PRINCIPAL YTL academic matters Assistant Principal (HEAD OF SENIOR) (Academic) responds For more pressing to academic referrals FORM made by YTL concerns contact the YTL, TUTOR and HOD who also responds to Form Tutor and HOD referrals The HOD responds to referrals from subject teachers and liaises HOD with YTL PARENT

SUBJECT TEACHER If concerns arise about an individual HOD: Head of Department subject, appointments can be made to YTL: Year Team Leader see the subject teacher

56 Key Stage 3 (Senior School) Curriculum Guide 2020-22 ACADEMIC CALENDAR 2020-2021

Note: all dates listed below are provisional and subject to further announcement and change to public holidays that may be issued by the cabinet office and other government departments.

Monday 24 August 2020 Staff Training Tuesday 25 August 2020

Start of Term 1a Wednesday 26 August 2020 7.30am

School Closed: Memorial Day for the passing of the late King Bhumibol Tuesday 13 October 2020 Adulyadej

End of Term 1a (half term break starts) Friday 16 October 2020 4.00pm Term 1 School Closed: Chulalongkorn Friday 23 October 2020 Memorial Day

Start of Term 1b Monday 26 October 2020 7.30am

School Closed: H.M. the late King Monday 7 December 2020 Bhumibol Adulyadej’s Birthday

End of Term 1b Friday 18 December 2020 12.50pm

Monday 11 January 2021 Staff Training Tuesday 12 January 2021

Start of Term 2a Wednesday 13 January 2021 7.30am

School Closed: Occasional Day Friday 12 February 2021 Term 2

End of Term 2a (half term break starts) Friday 19 February 2021 4.00pm

Start of Term 2b Monday 1 March 2021 7.30am

End of Term 2b Friday 9 April 2021 12.50pm

Start of Term 3a Monday 26 April 2021 7.30am

End of Term 3a (half term break starts) Friday 21 May 2021 4.00pm Term 3 Start of Term 3b Wednesday 26 May 2021 7.30am

End of Term 3b Friday 2 July 2021 12.50pm

Key Stage 3 (Senior School) 57 Curriculum Guide 2020-22 KEY CONTACTS

Shrewsbury International School Bangkok Riverside

1922 Charoen Krung, Wat Prayakrai, Bang Kholaem, Bangkok 10120 Tel: +66 2 675 1888 Fax: +66 2 675 3606

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.shrewsbury.ac.th/riverside

Academic

Mr Chris Seal Principal [email protected]

Mr Robert Millar Vice Principal, Head of Senior [email protected]

Mr Robert Groves Assistant Principal (Academic) [email protected]

Administrative

Khun Jip Director of Admissions [email protected]

Ilka Hodapp Admissions Executive [email protected]

Khun Mam PA to Vice Principal [email protected]

58 Key Stage 3 (Senior School) Curriculum Guide 2020-22

SHREWSBURY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL BANGKOK, RIVERSIDE 1922 Charoen Krung Road, Wat Prayakrai, Bang Kholaem, Bangkok 10120, Thailand. Tel: +66 2 675 1888 Fax: +66 2 675 3606 Email: [email protected] Website: shrewsbury.ac.th/riverside